It was fantastic! I love the book, and this is one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel I've seen. Yes, like many adaptations, it took some liberties, and that comes with filmmaking. The movie is way, way better than that 90's mini-series.
I remember reading the novel my first time, and my palms were perspiring, and i felt uneasy. I felt that way watching It. The creepy scenes were scary. I have never seen a horror movie do to kids what this movie has done with limbs and gore. In many horror films, the camera shies away from the kill. This movie didn't, and I was genuinely surprised. And it works, because us as human beings know that it is inherently wrong to terrorize children. But years and years of horror films show that we don't have a problem with adults and teens getting killed off.
The Losers Club was great, and not because the film took the time to develop them. These seven kids are exceptionally bright and smart actors. Each of them played their role incredibly well. Jaeden Lieberher who plays Bill is one of the most talented child actors working today. Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame was terrific as he was funny. Sophia Lillis's take on Beverly was incredibly dignified. She's an actress to keep an good eye on.
With all due respect to Tim Curry, who put on a hell of a performance for that miniseries, Bill Skarsgard got the essence of Pennywise right. His take is inherently more sinister than Curry's, and he seems like he really embraced that he was playing an interdemensional being who embodied a child's worst fear rather than an evil clown. The glee he has messing with the kids is perfect. Then he switches off, and that's when he is the most disturbing. We see glimpses of Pennywise in his true form, and it's grotesque, but when Bill Skarsgard acts like he is the shell of the true form...his jaw slacks, his eyes looks unfocused...he's incredibly terrifying.
I've had 3 or 4 hours to think about this film, and I really think it sit comfortably along with the very best Stephen King adaptations, including Carrie and The Shining. It was a great horror film, and a great adaptation. I can not wait to see what they'll do with the grown up versions of The Losers Club in It: Chapter 2
Assuming, per the movie's logic, that the sequel takes place 27 years later in the year 2016, what actors should play the role of their child counterparts?
I'd like to see Amy Adams as adult Beverly. I also think it would be cool to see Seth Green reprise the adult version of Richie, in which he played the child version in the 1990 miniseries. The humor that was given to Finn Wolfhard would fit his style!